


whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one

by murdershewrote



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Brother-Sister Relationships, Canon Jewish Character, Erik is a Father, Gen, Long Lost/Secret Relatives, Parent-Child Relationship, Twins, X-Men: Apocalypse (2016
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-17
Updated: 2017-07-17
Packaged: 2018-12-03 04:59:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11525049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/murdershewrote/pseuds/murdershewrote
Summary: That day in Cairo, Peter can’t bring himself to introduce himself to his father, so instead he tells Magneto about his daughter.





	whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings for language and mentions of child abuse.
> 
> Title from quote by Jane Howard “Call it a clan, call it a network, call in a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.”

The only thing standing between Peter and his father is an impenetrable magnetic field. Nothing can enter the force field except sound, but for once the words won’t come, even under Mystique’s expectant stare. When faced with the reality, Peter can’t force the words “I am your son” out of his mouth.

Peter’s superhumanly fast thoughts ping pong inside his head, doubts multiplying. What if Magneto doesn’t believe him? It’s not like Peter carries his birth certificate around with him or something. He has no proof and he hardly even looks like Erik Lehnsherr. Magneto will probably think it’s a trap and kill Peter for bringing up his dead family. Fuck, fuck, fuck, Peter is never going to be able to convince him.

Peter tries a different tactic. 

“I’m here for my family, too. I’m here for my best friend, Wanda. You’d like her. She shoots purple stuff out of her hands at people who dislike her.”

Mystique and Magneto are both giving him looks, but Peter soldiers on. His babbling has a point, for once, and Magneto needs to hear it. 

“I know how terrible humans are: the first time Wanda manifested her powers it was to throw off her stepdad who was hitting her. Her mom, Magda Maximoff, has always had shit taste in men, but she’s a great mom. I want Wanda to have a great dad, too. 

“And I know if you kill all the humans, depriving millions of mutant kids of their human parents, Wanda will never forgive you.” _And I won’t either_ , Peter thinks, but Magneto has no reason to care about his opinion, not yet. 

Peter stops talking but Mystique and Magneto just keep staring at him. He shifts awkwardly before suddenly having an idea. Peter rifles through his wallet which is overflowing with rewards cards before he finds the picture he wants. The magnetic field is still up so Peter sticks the photo in front of a piece of metal so Magneto can pull it through, which he does. 

There is a moment of stillness as Magneto examines the photo. It’s several years old and worn thin from use, but Peter can still picture it clearly. His mom is in the background sitting in a lawnchair, laughing, and Wanda is in the foreground, rushing toward Peter behind the camera. His sister had been sunbathing peacefully until Peter dropped a gallon of ice water on her head and Wanda is half-laughing half-scowling and sopping wet, clearly intent on taking her revenge. With her dark hair and flashing teeth, she looks remarkably like her father. 

“Meine Tochter,” Magneto breathes, and all the metal comes crashing down.

**Author's Note:**

> I was re-watching Apocalypse when this scene popped into my head.
> 
> Thanks to @curlymaus for correcting my German at the end. Please point out any grammar/spelling errors and let me know if I need to warn for anything else.
> 
> Blanket permission for transformative works and collections. 
> 
> I'm on [tumblr.](http://murdersshewrote.tumblr.com)


End file.
